*3million nets for Ondo against Malaria

Wife of Ondo State governor, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has lamented the rate at which pregnant women and children lose their lives as a result of Malaria caused by mosquito bites.

Mrs Akeredolu made this observation after she was decorated as Net Ambassador for the upcoming insecticide treated nets distribution exercise in the state, facilitated by the Catholic Relief Service (CRS) and some development partners.

Mrs Akeredolu thanked CRS for the honour and promised necessary support to make the distribution exercise a success.

She advised residents of the state to collect the net when the distribution starts, and make use of it by sleeping inside it every night.

She said: “I am concerned that our communities are facing high degree of malaria illnesses caused by the parasite transmitted by mosquito bite. This has caused so many lives and make many of us get sick. Malaria is still the cause of death of many pregnant women and children in our state.

She appealed to citizens of Ondo State to actively participate in the fight against malaria as basic health care is a priority.

“Now, we can protect ourselves and families from malaria by hanging and sleeping inside the long lasting insecticide net every night. The net truly protects from mosquito bite that causes malaria. ”

“I urge you and your family to sleep inside the net tonight and every night. Remember, when everybody sleeps inside the net everybody benefits,” Mrs Akeredolu said.

Mrs Akeredolu also clarified that there is no connection between the vaccination rumour and distribution of nets in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro who led the CRS delegation said the visit to Mrs Akeredolu was to formally intimate her of plans to distribute about 3 million long lasting insecticide treated nets to residents of the state and seek her support for a successful exercise.

He also formally decorated Mrs Akeredolu as the net ambassador for the campaign.

He said the distribution of the nets would start across the state on Friday 27th October, 2017 and urged the people to troop out en masse and collect the insecticide nets.

The Commissioner said the state government is partnering CRS towards eradicating cases of malaria in the state.